File for letters



(No Model.)

L. A. MERK.

FILE FOR LETTERS.

No. 404,920. Patented June 11, 1889. j f-Z lvltmaooeo 0g Shoe/mm @31 elm-M 7, a aqflgw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE A MERK, OF ROCHESTER, YORK.

FILE FOR LETTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,920, dated June 11, 1889.

Application filed January 22, 18 89. Serial No. 297,213. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE. A. Mann, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Files for Holding Letters, Bills, and other Papers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to letter and bill files of that class where vertical supportingwires and pivoted transfer-wires are attached to a suitable frame and so arranged that the transfer-wires can be thrown back, carrying a portion of the papers with them, thereby enabling any paper to be found and removed or a new paper inserted. The invention con sists in the construction and arrangements of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the device. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the meeting ends of the permanent and transfer wires slightly separated.

A indicates a cast-iron right-angled plate forming the frame, said plate being attached to a platform 13 in the usual way.

0 .C are the permanent upright wires on which the papers are impaled, said wires being attached near the front of the horizontal part of the plate and being pointed at their upper ends, whereby the papers can be inserted without the use of perforating devices, such as are ordinarily used in this class of bill-files.

D is a supplementary plate hinged at a a to the top of the main plate, so as to be capable of being turned over backward, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.

E E are transfer-wires attached to said supplementary plate and projecting forward, and the outer ends curved downward to meet the ends of the permanent wires O 0, thereby forming a closed arch or bow. The transferwires E E are tubular, as shown-in Fig. 4, so that theirlower ends fit over the pointed upper ends of the permanent wires.

If desired, the transfer-wires may be made solid, all but the lower ends, which fit the permanent Wires, said ends being made tubular.

G is a lever pivoted at b to the back of the main frame A. It consists of a straightbacked arm 0 and a handle d, the latter projecting outward, so as to be easily operated bythe finger. f is a coiled spring attached at one end to the arm 0 of the lever andat the other to the back of the supplementary plate D at g. The tendency of this spring is to draw the lever upright, so that its length stands across both of the frames A D and keeps the frame D stiff; but when pressure is applied downward on the end of the handle the spring stretches till the lever is drawn down clear of the supplementary frame, when the spring draws the frame D down into the horizontal position shown in dotted lines, and the back of said frame D then rests upon and is sup ported by the straight back of the lever.

In the use of the device the transfer-wires are opened, the papers are inserted on the permanent wires, and the transfer-wires are again closed, which secures the papers in place. To find and remove any papers, the superincumbent papers are lifted onto the transfer-wires and thrown over, the desired paper is removed, and the wires are then closed again.

Having described my invention, I disclaim two plates hinged together and carrying curved wires, as shown in Patent No. 379,846.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a paper-file, the combination of the frame A, carrying the stationary wire 0, the plate D, hinged to the back of the main frame and carrying the movable wire E, the lever G, pivoted to the back of the main frame and provided with arms 0 d, that shut across the frame and plate and stiffen them in position, and the spring f, connecting the lever with the plate, as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LAWRENCE A. MERK.

Witnesses:

R. F. Oseoon, WM. J. MOPHERSON. 

